can we use both rename and in options in merge step?

[jaliu]

Is there a reason I cannot use both the rename and in options? Or how can i fix the syntax?

data test;
merge stormbasin (rename=(BasinCode=Basin))(in=code) stormsum (in=sum);
if code=1;

[sbxkoenk]

Use one pair of brackets to specify the data set options (rename= and in=).

data test;
merge stormbasin (rename=(BasinCode=Basin) in=code) 
      stormsum   (in=sum);
if code=1;

Koen

[ballardw · Accepted solution]

---

@jaliu wrote:

Is there a reason I cannot use both the rename and in options? Or how can i fix the syntax?

data test;
merge stormbasin (rename=(BasinCode=Basin))(in=code) stormsum (in=sum);
if code=1;

---

All data set options for a specific set appear within one set of ().

Try

data test;
merge stormbasin (rename=(BasinCode=Basin)  in=code) stormsum (in=sum);
if code=1;

Your code with the second ) after Basin ended the options for Stormbasin and the (in=code) wasn't valid as there was no data set associated with the option.

Your code would have generated an error similar to the one here:

759  data junk;
760     set sashelp.class (rename=(sex=gender)) (in=code);
                                                -
                                                22
                                                76
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: a name, a quoted string, ;, CUROBS, END, INDSNAME, KEY, KEYRESET, KEYS, NOBS, OPEN, POINT, _DATA_, _LAST_, _NULL_.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

761  run;

The underscore under the ( says that character wasn't expected and most of the expected things listed are SET options which would be a clue that you have left data set options behind.

[jaliu]

is it possible that options require () only when we can list multiple data sets next to eachother without a semicolon? i.e. if there would no be no confusion (and this goes for other statements as well) then the syntax wouldn't require ()?

[sbxkoenk]

Hello @jaliu ,

Data set options always require one set of (), regardless how many data sets are specified before the semicolon. So, if there's only one dataset you also need the ().

Koen

[jaliu]

maybe you are misunderstanding my question. I want to know why sometimes we need () for options and sometimes we don't. 

[sbxkoenk]

Hello,

Data set options always need a (one) set of round brackets and the options should be specified within the ().

I agree you can do something like:

data _null_;
set have nobs=nobs point=nobs;
call symputx('yymm',yymm);
stop;
run;

but, here, nobs= and point= are no data set options but rather data STEP options.

Kind regards,

Koen